You will be making 14 individual pennants—the 13 letters that spell HAPPY BIRTHDAY plus one that will act as a space between the 2 words. Select 14 ten inch squares from the layer cake. Trim the squares down to 5.5 inches by 8 inches. Select 14 five inch squares from the charm pack (these will be used for the letters). Lay the pennants and coordinating letter fabrics out in a way that pleases you.

Cut 14 five inch squares of the Heat N Bond

and iron them on to the backs of the five inch squares.I own a die cut alphabet set, and used it to make the letters for this banner, but here is an alternative way to produce your letters. In whatever computer program you have at home (I’ve always used MS Publisher) create a letter 4 inches tall and mirror image it (flip it backwards). Pick a font that has some width to it. Print on copy paper. Do this for each letter needed. Now create a sandwich in the following order: fabric wrong side up (Heat N Bond paper facing you), dressmaker’s carbon paper (ink side down), and finally; right side up, the paper with the backwards printed letter.

Trace over the letter with a pen, which transfers the marking to your project

Cut out and peel off paper back. Iron it on to it’s coordinating pennant.

From the white fabric, cut 14 rectangles 5.5″ by 8″. This is for the backing (or lining). Pin a white backing fabric to each lettered pennant, right sides together. Sew 1/4” seam up the two long sides.Turn inside out and press. TIP: I got a fast and accurate straight edge press by inserting a piece of cardstock like this (use steam + be quick = no burning)Now lay them out in order and play around with placement of different trims and edgings. Sew trims in place. TIP: from this point on I use clear monofilament thread in the upper position and white bobbin thread. That way I don’t have to keep changing thread colors.Next you will attach the individual pennants to the long piece of pom pom trim. Find the center of the trim piece and the center of your saying (in this case the center is between the B and the I in Birthday) and begin attaching each pennant. You could pin and then sew on the machine, but I get much better results by running a quick basting seam. If you do it in the same color as the trim you won’t even have to bother with pulling it out later.I found myself using Aleene’s Fast Grab Tacky Glue for a few things as seen in the next picture. The buttons on top of the fabric yo yos, applying the yo yos themselves to the pennants, applying the three layered button (on the T) to the fabric, and finishing the edges of the thick green pom pom trim for added security. It was dry enough to work around within 10 minutes. The smaller buttons I sewed by hand.The amount of embellishments you choose to use is all a matter of personal taste. Here are a couple of close ups for a few ideas

Notice on the D pennant in this next picture I used the scrap strip from a scallop rotary blade cut as a trim pieceIf you hang this throughout the year for various family members birthdays you could even start it with no embellishments but keep adding small pictures and mementos here and there as the years go by.

There will be enough fabric for two banners (give one to a friend!) with plenty leftover to brighten up your scrap stash. Approximately six feet long, not including extra length of trim on each side.

So I’m reading… seeing… loving… thinking… THIS IS SO CUTE and SO JEN. Jen MUST SEE this project. Jen will SO LOVE this. Who ever designed/made it… even has a DARLING house like Jen. And then I get to “designed by Jen Duncan”. OMG… but OF COURSE it’s you! Love the banner, love you, and huge smile on my face when I saw your name! xom